


Put Some Thought Into It

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Series: Baby Thomas [9]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M, Kid Fic, M/M, OFC - Freeform, OMC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-04 21:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18351932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: "Why don't I have your name?""You already have four names,conejito. If you had more, your friends would be jealous."Rafael and Thomas discuss the usefulness of hyphens in blended families.





	1. Chapter 1

"Why don't I have your name?" 

Thomas asks the question as he carefully writes his name on the labeled line on his take-home math worksheet. 

Rafael watches him print and smiles at the way Thomas scratches his pencil hard to draw the hyphen:

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi_

"You already have four names, _conejito_. If you had more, your friends would be jealous."

Thomas gives him a withering look that Rafael has to fight not to laugh at. He's learned it from Sonny, and seeing that same furrowed brow and pursed lip displeasure at something he's said never fails to make Rafael nearly break up. But he's determined not to laugh at Thomas when he thinks he's asking a serious question. The four of them--Chloe and Jefferson and Rafael and Sonny--have all agreed to do their best to take even Thomas's simplest questions as seriously as he takes them. They want him to know he can ask anything and not feel embarrassed. 

"That was a goofy answer," Rafael says.

"Yes, it was," Thomas says, nodding his head gravely.

Rafael has to swallow another laugh. He can't wait to act out this conversation for Sonny later. "You don't have my name because your dad and your mom were the ones who made you, so you got both of their names."

"And that's why I don't have Dad-dad's name?"

"That's right," Rafael says, and he finally lets himself smile at Thomas's use of 'dad-dad.' He'd picked Jefferson's title all on his own, announcing it into a moment of silence during one of the attempted-at-least-weekly full family dinners. Jefferson had dumped half a glass of wine down his front at the announcement, and Sonny had high-fived Thomas for a great choice. Chloe and Rafael had both pretended not to be crying while Jefferson told Thomas that was the best name anyone had ever given him.

"Why can't I just have more hyphens?" Thomas asks. "I know how to spell your names."

"I…" Rafael opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, completely caught off guard. Why _can't_ he? His logical brain runs through the rules of legal naming, but the rest can only concentrate on _more hyphens_.

Why not more hyphens? If one hyphen is fine, why not more than one? Some people have hyphenated first and middle names _and_ hyphenated last names. Why can't you just add another hyphen or two at the end of a hyphenated name?

"I don't have a good answer," Rafael tells Thomas.

"Because that's the way people decided to do it," Thomas says in an absolutely dead ringer mimic of Chloe. He clearly doesn't realize he's done it.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Rafael agrees. "But, that doesn't mean we can't see what it looks like." He reaches around Thomas's homework for one of the ever-propagating legal pads that lives on every flat surface in the apartment--two lawyers kill a lot of trees--and flips it to a fresh page. He picks up the pen he'd been using before homework time and hands it to Thomas.

Thomas's eyes go wide as he takes it in his hand. "You're gonna let me use it?"

"Of course," Rafael says. It's his gold pen, and while he very nearly always has it on him, there are plenty of non-sentimental value pens scattered around the apartment for when Thomas wants to feel important by writing with one. "You're almost eight. I trust you." 

Thomas's eyes get even wider, and he beams at Rafael. "Thank you, _Papi_!"

There are times where Rafael's still not sure he understands how to be good at this whole parenting thing (the group chat and Liv and Amanda and Fin have all reassured him that's just how it goes), but the way Thomas glows at the prospect of using 'the fancy pen' is something Rafael immediately tucks away for the next round of self-doubt.

"Go ahead," Rafael says, tapping his finger on the legal pad. "Let's see what it looks like with all the names."

"Okay!" Thomas leans over the legal pad until his nose is almost touching it. He writes very slowly, clearly trying to get every letter exactly right. Rafael watches him and wishes he could record it, but he doesn't want to break the moment by taking out his phone now. He touches Thomas lightly on the head, and Thomas doesn't look up from his work. 

It's little moments like this, his son so awed to use his pen, him getting to excite his son by listening to his question and deciding to see what happens if he follows it through, that Rafael wonders for the space of Thomas writing three letters what the fuck was so wrong with his own father that he couldn't see the joy in being a real parent.

"There!" Thomas shouts, lifting both hands off the table and turning to Rafael with a huge smile. "Look!"

Rafael leans over to examine the writing: 

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi-Barba-Mitchell_

"That's a lot of hyphens," Rafael says. "I like it."

"Me, too." Thomas looks at his own writing, and his brow furrows again. "Is it okay like that?"

"Do you not like it?"

Thomas tips his head left and right like he's trying to find the perfect angle to look at his name. "What if I put Dad-dad's name before yours?"

"Write it out," Rafael says. "Let's see."

Thomas takes to it with the same concentration as before. 

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi-Mitchell-Barba_

"I like that one, too," Rafael says.

Thomas does the head tilting again. "I don't know which one I like better."

"It's a hard decision," Rafael says. 

Thomas nods slowly. "It is." He taps the pen against the legal pad in a passable impression of Rafael when he's thinking.

Rafael manages not to sweep his son into a hug and an effusion of affectionate kisses and nicknames. Thomas is nearly eight, after all. It would be an insult to his maturity. Rafael realizes his other option as Thomas plants his hands on his hips. "Do you want to ask Dad-dad?"

Thomas looks at Rafael, his face lighting up as he smiles. "Yes!"

Rafael picks up his phone and gestures to the legal pad. "Hold it up so he can see."

Thomas picks up the legal pad and holds it in front of him. He beams without prompting, and Rafael snaps three photos. 

"Which one do you like best?" Rafael asks, tilting the phone so Thomas can flick through them. 

"That one," Thomas says, choosing the second one after flipping through all three pictures twice. 

Rafael opens a new text to Jefferson. "I'm going to say that we both like both of these, but we don't know which one we like best."

"Make him choose!"

"I'll ask him if he can," Rafael replies. "It's a hard question."

Thomas nods at double-speed. "It's super hard."

 **Rafael:** Thomas was wondering which version of his name was better. We couldn't decide, so we thought you might be able to. 

Rafael reads it aloud to Thomas, and Thomas nods at double-speed again as Rafael attaches the photo and taps the 'send' button.

Jefferson's response comes a half hour later as Thomas is watching a Youtube mix about different dog breeds (he's almost eight and totally able to take care of a dog, he swears five or six times a week).

 **Jefferson:** They both sound great. I can't decide, either. 

There's a second text that's just an emoji of a windmill. It's the secret parent code for 'text me when you have a minute, but it's not an emergency.'

Rafael leans over Thomas's shoulder and watches the last thirty seconds of the video about poodles. He taps the spacebar before the next video can start. "Dad-dad can't decide either," he says, handing his phone to Thomas so Thomas can read the text for himself.

Thomas reads the text and holds Rafael's phone up so he can take it back. "It's soooooo hard!"

"It is!" Rafael agrees, and he drops a quick kiss on Thomas's head as Thomas taps the spacebar to start the next video. 

*

Thomas goes to bed an hour later, Rafael tucking him in and reading him half a chapter of _Ramona Quimby, Age 8_ before kissing him on the cheek and wishing him goodnight. 

He closes the bedroom door completely--Thomas is very concerned about his privacy right now--and takes his phone from his pocket as he walks into the kitchen to start the dinner dishes. 

**Rafael:** Thomas is in bed. What's up?

 **Jefferson:** : I nearly cried. Did you nearly cry?

 **Rafael** : He's lucky he wasn't hugged to death.

 **Jefferson:** Was it his own idea?

 **Rafael:** Yeah. He wanted to know why he couldn't have all of our names.

 **Jefferson:** Fuck. 

**Rafael:** Fuck!

 **Jefferson:** FUCK.

 **Rafael:** F. U. C. K.

 **Jefferson:** I've got to finish reviewing new drawings for work. Don't know if I'll be any use right now. Sleep well when you get there.

 **Rafael:** You, too.

Rafael tucks his phone back into his pocket and starts the water for the dishes, smiling through the entire task as he lets himself bask in how fucking lucky he is.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chloe:** Got a text from the school. Who's turn is it for parent/teacher conference?

**Jefferson:** Not it. I went last time.

**Sonny:** I think it's me?

**Chloe:** Can you do Thursday at 4?

**Sonny:** Isn't today Thursday?

**Rafael:** It's Wednesday, Sonny.

**Sonny:** 1) Yes to the meeting. 2) I could have sworn it was Thursday.

**Jefferson:** It's Science worksheet night. It's Wednesday.

**Sonny:** Fuck.

**Rafael:** Thank goodness you don't have court this week.

**Chloe:** I'll tell Thomas you're going. Tomorrow. Which is Thursday.

**Jefferson:** Hey, Sonny. It's Thursday tomorrow.

**Sonny:** None of you are funny.

**Rafael:** On Thursdays, we're funny. But it's not Thursday.

*

"Mr. Carisi, it's good to see you again," Ms. Norman says as she holds out her hand.

Sonny shakes her hand and smiles. "Same to you," he replies. He looks down at Thomas, who's sitting at his desk with a book. "Thanks for waiting, kiddo."

Thomas shrugs. "I've got a book."

"I'll try to make this fast. _Papi_ called me on the way over. Your _abuelita_ and _bisabuela_ invited us out for dinner."

Thomas grins. "Can I sit next to _bisabuela_?"

"I'm sure you can," Sonny replies. He leans downs and kisses the top of Thomas's head. "Text _Papi_ for details if you want, okay? He's already on his way to meet them."

Thomas dives for his backpack and pulls his phone from a side pocket.

"I want you to know, he's about the only one with a phone who actually puts it away during class," Ms. Norman says. "I think I have more meetings about practicing good phone usage than any other kind."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Sonny says as he sits in the chair next to Ms. Norman's desk. "We try to keep some boundaries about use, but it doesn't always work that way."

"And you're not here because Thomas has been any trouble, but he told me he told you that."

"He did," Sonny says with a smile, remembering last night's check-in phone call, which Thomas had opened with, 'I'm not in trouble, okay?' "He said you told him you just needed to discuss something with one of us."

"Yes." Ms. Norman reaches across her desk and picks up a small stack of papers. She hands them to Sonny and taps the name line. "Thomas has been getting creative with his name. He's convinced he can use every last name in the immediate family, and I'm having a hard time convincing him otherwise. He's not being confrontational about it, but he's also refusing to stop."

"Sounds like there might be a couple lawyers in the family," Sonny says as he flips through the papers. 

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi-Barba-Mitchell_

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi-Mitchell-Barba_

_Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Barba-Carisi-Mitchell_

_Thomas Maurie Kuzin-Mitchell-Barba-Carisi_

He smiles at the various ways Thomas has strung all their names together and can't help but notice Chloe's always gets first place. She'll love that. He looks up from the papers. "Is there anything really wrong with what he's doing? I mean, we're a blended family and proud of it. I know Rafael and Jefferson are thrilled he wants their names, too, and I'd be lying if I said Chloe and I didn't think it was great."

"It's great for you, yes," Ms. Norman says. "But it's harder for whichever kid is on homework duty on any given day. They don't all read at the same level and--no offense--but Thomas's last name is already a challenge for some of them, and it's harder for them to match the name to the cubby hole when he's writing it different all the time."

Sonny nods in understanding. "Is his middle name an issue as well?"

"No. I was willing to let that one rest because several kids started doing it after we talked about middle names one day."

"How did that come up?"

Ms. Norman shrugs. "I won't pretend to know, Mr. Carisi. I think there was a discussion at recess because two of the students don't have middle names, and some have siblings with conformation names, and that's what they wanted to discuss during the free discussion time at the end of the day."

Sonny chuckles. "Kids," he says. 

"Kids," Ms. Norman agrees. "We made new labels for the kids who wanted to use their middle names on their worksheets, but even if Thomas had chosen a particular way to list all the names he wants, it's not an option I'd like to encourage. If one of the kids does it, they all want to do it."

"I understand." Sonny looks at the stack of papers again. "We'll talk to him and see if we can't come up with a solution," Sonny says.

"Please let me know when you do," Ms.Norman says. "I don't want to harangue him constantly about it. Knowing when you've come to an agreement will let me help support whatever you decide while he's at school."

"I appreciate it," Sonny says, standing. He holds up the papers. "Do you need these back?"

"No, they're all graded and ready to take home."

"Great. Thank you." Sonny shakes her hand again then walks over to Thomas. He's back to his book, his phone next to him on the desk. "Did you get ahold of _Papi_?"

"Yeah. He says _bisabuela_ already said she was gonna sit next to me."

"Good. That makes it easy, then." Sonny reaches down and picks up Thomas's backpack. "You want your book in here, or do you want to read on the subway?"

"I'll read on the subway."

"Okay." Sonny puts Thomas's backpack over his own shoulder and reaches down to smooth his hair. He looks at the papers in his other hand. He'll talk to Thomas after dinner he decides. He can fill in Rafael while Thomas is telling Lucia and Catalina everything he's been up to since they saw him a couple of weeks ago, and they can set up a Facetime call with Chloe and Jefferson so they can all talk to Thomas together.

*

Chloe's the one who figures out how to explain to Thomas that while he loves using _all_ his names and that, no, there's nothing _wrong_ about doing it, it's still better if he sticks to the name everyone is used to. 

"Remember when Riley learned Pig-Latin from her older sister, and she wrote everything in Pig-Latin, and you couldn't read anything she wrote?"

"Uh huh," Thomas says, sitting on the couch between Sonny and Rafael as they all have the conversation on Facetime.

"How did you feel?"

"Like she was leaving me out," Thomas says. 

"Did you like that feeling?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because people shouldn't make you feel left out if they like you."

"Right. And you like your classmates, right?"

Thomas screws up his face. "Not Lyle."

Sonny and Rafael trade a quick grin. They have heard many stories of Lyle. None of them very kind.

"Well, okay, not Lyle," Chloe concedes, and next to her, Jefferson also looks amused. "But everyone else, you like, right?"

"Yeah."

"When you write your name out like you do, it makes the others feel left out because they can't figure out why there are so many names. It confuses them because they can't put your papers in the right place, and it might even make them feel a little dumb."

Thomas squirms. "I don't want anyone to feel dumb."

"We know, sweetheart," Chloe says. "It's not wrong to enjoy doing something, but sometimes you have to consider if what you're doing makes other people feel bad and if their feeling bad is something you want to change."

"Because sometimes people feel bad when you like something because they think you shouldn't like it, but that doesn't mean you have to change to make them feel better," Thomas says, repeating a lesson he learned in pre-school when another child had mocked him for liking the purple sand pail because purple was "for girls." 

"That's right," Chloe says. "And you know how to tell the difference because we've talked about it."

"Yeah," Thomas says, nodding slowly, his face absolutely serious. "Okay," he says after a moment. "I won't write all my names on school stuff anymore. I can write it on other stuff, though, right? Like if I write a story at home, I can use all my names to say it's by me?"

"Of course," Chloe says. "You know what, I think that's a great rule. If it's for school, you stick to Thomas Maurice Kuzkin-Carisi. If it's not for school, you can put as many of your names as you want."

Thomas perks up, a smile breaking on his face. "Okay!"

"Sound good to everyone else?" Chloe asks. They end all group calls like this, making sure Thomas knows that all his parents have listened and are engaged, even if they don't talk much.

"Sounds great," Jefferson says. 

"I like it," Sonny agrees.

"I like it a lot," Rafael adds.

"Great!" Chloe holds up both hands and waves at the screen. "We'll let you guys get back to having fun. Bye, sweetie! We love you!"

"Love you!" Jefferson adds, waving as well.

"Love you!" Thomas says, waving back with both hands.

Sonny leans over to end the Facetime call. He sits upright again and slides his arm along the back of the couch. "How you feeling?" he asks Thomas.

Thomas tips back his head so he can see Sonny. "I'm okay," he says. "I have a question."

"What's that?"

"Can I still write my name how I want when Lyle's on homework duty because I don't like him and want him to feel dumb?"

Rafael barks a laugh, and Sonny can't help but join him when Thomas breaks and giggles. "Did your _papi_ give you that idea?"

"Hey!" Rafael says. 

Thomas shakes his head. "No. It's my joke. I made it up."

"It's a good joke," Rafael says before Sonny can say so. "But you have to practice your poker face, _conejito._ "

"What's a poker face?"

Sonny cuts Rafael a look that warns him he is _not_ teaching their son about poker. "It means you keep your face blank," Sonny says. "It's an expression."

"But how can it be an expression when your face is blank?" Thomas asks, clearly trying and failing to keep a poker face.

"Come here," Sonny says, standings up and gesturing Thomas to follow. "We'll practice in the mirror."

"No using it on Lyle, though," Rafael says as he stands to follow them.

"He's right. No using it on Lyle."

"I won't," Thomas says. "Promise."

Sonny doesn't entirely believe him, but that's a conversation to have if Thomas breaks his promise. 

They spend an hour practicing their poker faces in the mirror, though they mostly spend it trying to crack each other up. By the time Thomas needs to get ready for bed, they're all red-faced from laughing. 

Thomas brushes his teeth and washes his face and changes into his pajamas before yelling at Sonny and Rafael that they can come into his bedroom and read to him. It's Sonny's night to read, and Rafael sits next to him, arm around his waist as Sonny reads Thomas half a chapter of _Ramona Quimby, Age 8_.

"Can I read a little of my own book?" Thomas asks once Sonny closes the book. "I only have two chapters left."

Sonny checks the time. It's not quite eight, and Thomas reads quickly for his age. An extra half-hour to finish his book won't hurt for one night. He glances at Rafael, who nods to show he's already done the math. "Sure," Sonny says. "Where is it? We can bring it--" 

Thomas pulls it out from under his pillow. Rafael snorts quietly and turns his face away, clearly trying not to laugh. Sonny's glad they've been practicing their poker faces because it means he can keep a straight face as he says, "Oh, you have it. Good. We'll turn off the main light so you only have to turn off your lamp, okay?"

"Okay."

Sonny stands and kisses Thomas good night, taking an extra moment to tousle his hair so Rafael can finish getting his face together.

"Good night," Rafael says as he drops a kiss on Thomas's head.

"Good night," Thomas replies. "Love you."

"Love you, too," Sonny and Rafael chorus as they walk out of the bedroom together, Sonny tuning off the overhead light and shutting the door behind them.

"Did you buy him a flashlight so he can read under the covers?" Rafael asks in a whisper as they walk back into the living room.

"No, but I might have given him the idea." Sonny walks into the kitchen and opens the tool drawer. He grins and holds up the large flashlight they have for emergencies. "This is here. The small one isn't. He was engrossed on the subway, and I mentioned I used to read under the covers with a flashlight. I didn't think he even heard me. But he definitely had his book ready to go if we said no."

Rafael chuckles. "Do we bust him?"

Sonny considers it as he walks over to the dining table to sort through all the papers that have stacked up that week. "I'd rather not. He's way into carving out his privacy right now, and I want to respect that if it's not hurting him. If he starts to seem overtired in the mornings, we'll mention it."

"Sounds good," Rafael says. "I'll text Chloe and Jefferson to keep an eye out."

"Thanks," Sonny replies. He tosses a few pieces of junk mail into the small basket they keep next to the shredder. "Are you still working on Wednesday's puzzle?" Sonny asks, holding up the _Times_ crossword. 

"I admit defeat," Rafael replies.

Sonny checks the clues for the empty answers and doesn't know any of them. He tosses the paper on the stack with the others to get recycled. He throws out two coupons and a catalog, and then he gets to the stack of Thomas's papers that he'd carried in this evening. He flips through them again, looking at all the ways Thomas spelled his name, and he smiles at the proof of his son's big heart. 

"Hey," he says, turning towards Rafael, "I just had an idea."

Rafael walks over and looks at the papers in Sonny's hand. "We are not getting a second fridge to brag about his grades."

Sonny chuckles. "You're close," he says. "I was thinking we should get these framed."

"Framed?" Rafael asks. "What for?"

"For us, and one for Chloe and Jefferson, and one for your mother and your grandmother."

Rafael takes the sheets and flips through them. "Why, exactly?"

"Because Thomas wants everyone to know he's your son and Jefferson's son, too. It's right there in his name. And your mother and grandmother love him as unconditionally as any grandparents could, and they'd love to have something that reminds them how much Thomas loves them, too."

"My _abuelita_ 's name is Diaz," Rafael says.

"Your _abuelita_ is smart enough to know how a seven-year-old thinks. She'll recognize the love for what it is."

"You mean an almost-eight-year-old," Rafael replies, his agreement to Sonny's idea clear in his tone. 

"Right," Sonny replies. "Our almost-eight-year-old loves you and his other dad so much, he wants to write your names all the time. It deserves to be noted for how special it is." He smiles when Rafael lifts up on his toes to kiss him softly. 

"You've convinced me, counselor."

"Wow," Sonny says, wrapping his arms around Rafael's waist, "that was easier than usual."

Rafael chuckles and kisses him again. "You got me right in my old age. _Almost eight_."

"Hey, you reminded me."

"Because our son reminds us both nearly every day."

Sonny beams and pecks Rafael on the end of the nose. "Yeah, he does."

"Yeah, he does," Rafael agrees, and Sonny kisses him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why, yes, Rafael's grandmother is very much alive. Because I say so. No one has ever deserved to have a great-grandchild more. She raised two generations of perfect sass. Her reward is a devoted and adoring great-grandson.
> 
> Also, writing conversations of parents explaining hard stuff to kids like how you enjoying something could make someone else feel bad but that there's a difference between them honestly feeling bad versus wanting YOU to feel bad is some WORK. Shit's got layers.
> 
> Lyle is a little wiener kid.

**Author's Note:**

> A two-chapter Baby Thomas fic?! What is this madness?! 
> 
> Yes, there will be a second chapter. Because Sonny and Chloe need to slowly die from this too. It'll be up in the next few days.


End file.
